Online Reporter
Patience Ndlovu
INSPIRED by his own past struggles, a Gwabalanda man in Bulawayo has established a drug rehabilitation centre to help recovering addicts reintegrate into society.
Mr Thulani Chauke(53), a welder and retired teacher, launched the rehabilitation centre with a unique perspective aimed at giving former drug addicts a second chance in society.
He started the centre in 2018 at a rented apartment in Luveve before relocating it to his location in Gwabalanda.
Speaking about his motivation, Mr Chauke revealed that he is also a recovering victim of substance abuse, which inspired him to give back to society.
“During the previous years I found myself drowning in the doldrums of alcohol slavery, after having gone through divorce, car stolen in South Africa coming back home with nothing, I got to a point where I thought of committing suicide, until I met one stranger who had a conversation with me and told me words that I still remember till now that I was meant to serve a purpose,” he said.
Mr Chauke added, “That is when I started the rehabilitation centre in 2018 and named it Hope Mental Trust where I train recovering drug and substance abuse victims skills to adapt after they have left Ingutsheni Central Hospital. I noticed that many people are neglected and judged because of what they have done in the past, they get called names which is unhealthy for recovering addicts, therefore I give them a second chance.”
He emphasised the importance of community involvement in supporting recovering addicts, noting that many face judgment and exclusion after release from Ingutsheni Central Hospital.
“I usually advertise in local WhatsApp groups for the affected and take them through training and counselling. I have discovered that the most affected are those from affluent families or religiously orientated families who pressure their children to follow their doctrines or social status hence they lose self.
“As a rehabilitation centre it is my duty to keep these victims busy with work so their minds do not stay idle, but they will be thinking about work, hence they assist me with my welding and when I attend to my farm, they tag along and it has been really productive,” he said.
Drug and substance abuse remains a significant national challenge, particularly among the youth, prompting the Government to establish rapid response teams and a national taskforce to combat the menace.
According to the latest Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVac) Report, 6,1 percent of households in Matabeleland North have family members abusing drugs and substances. This translates to nearly 12 000 households affected in the province’s seven districts, based on census data.
Mr Chauke acknowledged that operating his centre amid economic hardships poses challenges, especially in keeping members engaged without steady work orders.
“An idle mind is the devil’s workshop. They tend to get back and my satisfaction is that it’s better to save a soul, as what is there in the Bible of the shepherd who left the whole flock to look for the lost one,” he said.
